Archives for May 2013

‘Jacobs signed an amateur tryout with Rochester in mid-March and played 11 games with the Amerks. The 6-foot-2, 207-pounder recorded a goal and two assists before being scratched for Rochester’s three playoff games.’

‘Jacobs, 6-foot-1 and 202 pounds, was selected by Buffalo in the fourth round of the 2011 draft. From Coppell, Texas, he finished last season playing for Buffalo’s American Hockey League affiliate in Rochester on a tryout basis, and had a goal and two assists in 11 games.’

‘If the Sabres are forced to trade Ryan Miller this summer, Enroth may be very effective as part of a goalie tandem in 2013-14. It would be unwise to throw a goalie who’s never played more than 58 games in a pro season into a 60-plus game NHL season. It would also be unwise to put huge statistical expectations on a netminder who will be backstopping a rebuilding club.’

‘The good news for the Sabres is that 2012 first round pick Zemgus Girgensons led the way with three goals, followed by three assists from Johan Larsson, picked up from Minnesota in the Pominville trade. It is encouraging, despite their limited experience, that Buffalo’s young players are performing in pressure-packed situations. Mark Pysyk and Brian Flynn did not miss a beat after rejoining the Amerks following the end of the NHL season, though neither managed any points.’

‘This is where the Sabres are with Vanek and Miller. None of this would be happening if the team were better, and certainly these two players bear some responsibility for that. Some fans may even criticize them for wanting to leave.’

‘“I’ve been growing a lot,” Enroth said. “I want to play more. My goal is to be a starter one year in the NHL, and right now Ryan is the starter here. It’s kind of hard to take the job from him here, but we’ll see what happens.”’

‘Paille and Pyatt were not stars in Buffalo by any measure, but they do serve as reminders of just how many poor decisions were made over the past seven years. That’s the starting point for the Sabres going in a downward trend that Regier either caused or failed to stop amid a barrage of poor decisions that led them to, well, here.’